depression

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Can depression inhibit weightloss? I don't want to go into it but I've been depressed since March and being hit hard with a bout for the past 2 days. I hate feeling this down....I can usually sleep it off, but this is a little deeper than that. I am eating withing my goals and sometimes I exersice(I exersice regularly) so I can eat a little more lol, I try not to ;). But, anyway, TIA!

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  • Tuffjourney
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    I think depression is a big factor in weightloss and weight gain. Seek help. Go to your family doctor.
  • chubbyandawkward
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    I definitely think so. It made me want to eat foods that were bad for me and I had no energy to exercise or the will to try.
    :-/
  • snickerpants
    snickerpants Posts: 44 Member
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    I think depression can be a factor in weight loss and gain due to the emotional ties that food has for people. I don't think it has much effect on your metabolism though so, if you're within your calorie goal and exercising then I can't see how it would reduce your weight loss significantly. However, I am not a doctor. I don't even play one on TV so I can't give medical advice.

    I know that in many cases, exercise is helpful for depression (it has been for me) but from your post, it seems like you know how deep this goes for you and aren't sure what to do about it. Maybe you are looking for a physical reason to see a doctor about your depression? because seeing a doctor about something as vague as "I'm feeling down" is hard to justify sometimes. At least it was for me. That idea is a killer though. Please don't let it be the reason you hold yourself back from a solution. It's YOUR body and YOUR mind. No one else knows your body and mind as well as you. If you feel like something wrong then find someone that can help you fix it. If your normal doctor doesn't help, then find a different doctor. Doctors aren't god-like. They can only dispense medical advice to the extent that they know it. And sadly, many doctors don't know much about depression.

    I struggled with depression (and still do) at one point making it very difficult for me to work. I didn't like the idea of seeing a doctor because I thought I could "handle everything on my own". But when I finally broke down (that's how I thought of it at least) and went to the doctor, I realized that I didn't have all the tools necessary for coping with my depression. It wasn't about being weak or needy or pathetic (my words, for me - fill in your own words) it was about picking myself up and dealing with my problem instead of letting my problems get the best of me. Once I thought of it that way, it was logical to seek medical help and take care of myself. In the end, a few months of anti-depressants and some long-winded chats with a psychologist helped me make sense of what I was going through. Now I can recognize when depression sets in and deal with it before it becomes a problem.

    Now, I don't know what you are going through and I may be totally blowing this out of proportion. But as someone who slowly lost any enjoyment in life because I was pretty sure that everything would blow over and it would be okay later, I encourage you to take control of this as soon as you can. I know how hard it is to take those first steps toward dealing with depression. So give yourself an excuse, or a reason, or anything that works - and go see a doctor. Even if it really is nothing, at least you will know next time.

    Sorry, that was more wordy than I intended. Did you need a lecture? Because apparently, I had one for you. Sorry about that. Feel free to completely ignore everything I've said as the rantings of a lunatic if you like.

    Cheers!
  • sinclare
    sinclare Posts: 369 Member
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    depression can really mess up your metabolism.

    Meds can really help if you haven't tried them. If you have been depressed since March, I would recommend you try some meds....it is extremely hard to do this yourself.

    Hang in there...
  • craftzilla
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    I would agree about talking to a doctor about meds. I have been on them for around 7 years now. The tough thing is that taking anti-depressants can also cause your weight to fluctuate a lot - which is what I struggle with. All my doctors have said that there is no correlation between antidepressants and weight gain, but I've seen it. Good luck to you!
  • msiamjan
    msiamjan Posts: 326 Member
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    I agree with the above posters-please think about getting some professional help. It truly isn't necessary in this day and age to keep suffering. My experience with depression and weight is that during a major depressive episode I lose weight rapidly, but moderate depression leads to steady weight gain. Good luck!
  • Tangerine302
    Tangerine302 Posts: 1,509 Member
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    Sorry to hear about what you are going through. I agree with mentioning it to your doctor. He may be able to give you something to relieve your symptoms. You deserve to feel good whether it's mentally or physically. Good luck to you!
    Take care! :)
  • daveytrouble
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    everything else aside, it makes sense to me that if you're feeling down and low energy then you're not gonna be burning the calories you would be just going throughout your day. with a lower bmr, when you exercise it's probably just catching up for all those calories you didn't burn because you were sleeping.

    I guess i would say just try to make a point to keep moving. it will get your bmr back to where you're used to it and hopefully distract you from the blues.
  • calliope_music
    calliope_music Posts: 1,242 Member
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    yes, i agree with what everyone else said. however, as a depression sufferer myself, the right combo of meds, therapy, eating well and exercising has done WONDERS for my mood and motivation.
  • Awkward30
    Awkward30 Posts: 1,927 Member
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    According to the documentary that I watched last night, large amounts of niacin are effective in tearing depression. Could try that in addition to whatever a doctor says, of course!
  • Nailrep
    Nailrep Posts: 966 Member
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    For me, I eat more when I get depressed. That and I move less. I'm dealing with this now, struggling to not gain anymore weight than I already have. Get help if you continue to feel worse. I know I'm considering counseling at this point.